SIGGRAPH DAC Aesthetics of Gameplay exhibit of indie games available online

In early 2014, the ACM SIGGRAPH Digital Arts Community (DAC) launched the Aesthetics of Gameplay online exhibition. Ian Bogost captures what this exhibition aims to showcase in his article entitled “Persuasive Games: From Aberrance to Aesthetics”: “But when one finds a game that does manage to deliver a detectable aesthetic — a set of creative principles and effects that make it the sort of game it is — that alone is a triumph.”

I was invited by Greg Garvey from Quinnipiac University (and curator of this exhibit) to be one of the 15 game nominators to identify indie games that fit Bogost’s description. Each nominator was asked to list up to 15 game titles for inclusion in this collection of recent digital games from independent developers that are uniquely creative in putting together striking and distinctive aesthetics with engaging gameplay.

Please visit the exhibit online and experience the breadth of game aesthetics demonstrated with this impressive list of indie games. In the words of curator Greg Garvey, we hope this exhibition “poses questions about the nature of art, games, and play. So download, get in some serious play, and enjoy total engagement!” To view the SIGGRAPH DAC Aesthetics as Gameplay exhibit, please visit: http://gameartshow.siggraph.org/gas/acknowledgements/

Exhibit game nominators included: Elena Bertozzi, Clayton Ewing, Lindsay Grace, Jacquelyn Ford Morie, Eric Nersesian, Casey O’Donnell, Andrew Phelps, Charles Pratt, Samuel Roberts, Kathleen Ruiz, Dave Tomczyk, Lien Tran, Michael Wagner, Jose Zagal, and Eric Zimmerman